NEW YORK — The next Spike Lee movie will be a Kickstarter production.

Following in the footsteps of “Veronica Mars” and Zach Braff, Lee has launched an online campaign to help fund his next feature film. The Brooklyn filmmaker Monday unveiled his bid to raise $1.25 million over the next month using the fundraising site .

Lee offered few details on the film, but said it would be about “the addiction of blood.”

The 56-year-old director said he was inspired to crowd-source the film after hearing from a student of his that the “Veronica Mars” movie raised $5.7 million on Kickstarter, and Braff’s film pulled in $3.1 million. Said Lee in a video posted on his Kickstarter page: “When I heard about that, I said, ‘Oh, snap!’ “

Though filmmakers including David Fincher have been involved with Kickstarter projects, Lee, the director of “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X” is easily the most established filmmaker yet to use the service to raise money for a feature. His remake of the 2003 South Korean thriller “Oldboy” will be released in October.

Kickstarter, which takes a percentage of donations, has found both supporters enamored by the ability to circumvent the usual means of film production, and critics who call it digital panhandling and lament that backers, unlike typical film investors, get no cut of any eventual grosses.

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In a video message, Lee said the current climate is difficult for independent filmmakers and the only way to ensure your vision gets on screen “is when you bring the money to the table.”

Governor playing  TV role in shoring up Jersey’s image

BRICK TOWNSHIP, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says his regular TV appearances generate positive publicity for the state.

He said when he became governor in 2010 the state’s image was being shaped by “The Sopranos” and reality shows “Jersey Shore” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” Christie, who has become a national figure, said people now have a better image of the state.

The Republican has slow-jammed the news with NBC’s Jimmy Fallon, munched a doughnut with CBS’ David Letterman and last week taped a segment for Michael J. Fox’s upcoming sitcom.

 


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